Due to the evolving COVID situation and based on the latest health advice, Victoria will be elevated to a high-risk jurisdiction and the Australian Capital Territory will be subject to pre-travel testing under its medium risk settings.
These adjustments under Western Australia's controlled border arrangements will be implemented from 12.01am Monday, September 6.
Under the 'high risk' settings, effective from 12.01am Monday, September 6, anyone entering from Victoria, or who has travelled through Victoria in the past 14 days, will be subject to the following strict conditions to enter WA:
- proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test in the 72 hours prior to departure;
- proof of receipt of at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, where eligible;
- a mandatory requirement to use the G2G Now app on arrival in WA; and
- COVID-19 tests on days two and 12.
The Chief Health Officer has also recommended additional changes to the medium risk settings under WA's controlled border arrangements.
Effective from 12.01am Monday, September 6, 2021, approved travellers, aged 12 and older, are required to undertake a pre-travel COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to departure, to give greater certainty of the non-infectious status of travellers entering WA.
This follows the escalating situation in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales and is a testing model already being implemented for high-risk setting travellers and for international arrivals into WA.
Under WA's controlled border arrangements, South Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania are currently classified as 'very low risk' jurisdictions, which means travellers from and through these jurisdictions are not subject to self-quarantine and regular COVID-19 testing requirements.
Queensland is currently at 'low risk' settings, the Australian Capital Territory is under 'medium risk' settings and New South Wales is classified as an 'extreme risk' jurisdiction.
The Chief Health Officer will continue to monitor the situation and provide updated public health advice based on the latest epidemiology.
More information on WA's controlled borders is available at https://www.wa.gov.au
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
"Our thoughts are with our friends in Victoria, the ACT and New South Wales as they battle through their growing outbreaks.
"Upon the latest advice from the Chief Health Officer we are implementing some additional safeguards to give greater certainty to Western Australians that approved travellers entering from higher risk settings like Victoria and the ACT are doing so safely.
"These adjustments under our controlled border arrangements strengthen the requirements for approved travellers entering our State.
"I'd urge Western Australians who may have gone to Victoria recently to come home now because as we've seen with NSW's situation, things can spiral and we won't hesitate to introduce stricter measures to keep WA safe.
"WA's safety and health is my top priority and while these changes are frustrating they are necessary in protecting Western Australians and keeping the virus out."
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"This is obviously a very difficult time for everyone in NSW and Victoria.
"WA has been helping NSW with their contact tracing efforts and we continue to stand ready to help in any way needed.
"The devastation and heartbreak in NSW has reinforced more than ever just how vital it is that all Western Australians who are eligible must get vaccinated.
"More than 100 people have died since the outbreak started in Sydney.
"We do not want anyone in WA to lose a loved one so we will do everything we can to keep COVID-19 out of our State."
